1. Field Of The Invention
The invention relates to a process for detection of a chemical warfare agent, in which a detection reagent able to fluoresce is brought into contact with the chemical warfare agent, which reacts with the chemical warfare agent so that the fluorescent light emitted by it changes.
2. Background Art
Such a process is described in German OS No. 3,344,700, wherein detection is based on the adduct formation of a triphenylmethine dye with the respective chemical warfare agent. In this case, the detection reagent is explained with a nucleophilic or electrophilic reaction of the chemical warfare agent on a reactive center of the dye or with a conformational change of the dye by adsorptive bonding of the chemical warfare agent on the dye molecule. But only S-LOST (bis(2-chloroethyl) sulfide) and N-LOST (bis(2-chloroethyl)methylamine hydrochloride) can be detected as chemical warfare agents according to this known process. Detection of the also important chemical warfare agent VX O-ethyl S-(2- diisopropylaminoethyl)methylthiophosphonate alkylthiophosphate) is not possible with the known process.
German PS No. 2,947,459 describes a process for in situ detection of precipitates of special, persistence chemical warfare agents from the group of phosphoric esters. These compounds exhibit a chemiluminescence when indole is used, which can be detected without contact by means of an optical detector. But this reaction does not work for the chemical warfare agent LOST. Addition of silver fluoride a activator is almost always indispensable for detection by means of indole for chemical warfare agent VX. However, some changes can be detected with indole without activator. But the silver fluoride used in this case is expensive and causes problems when used, especially by greatly dispersing samples.